فأقسمso I swear لاnot بيسينby Ya-Sin وطهand Ta-Ha
فأقسم لا بيسين وطه
ولاnor بالذارياتby al-Dhariyat (The Scattering Winds) ولاnor الحديدal-Hadid (Iron)
ولا بالذاريات ولا الحديد
So I swear—not by Ya-Sin and Ta-Ha,
I swear not by Sīn and Ṭāh,
Nor by al-Dhariyat, nor by al-Hadid,
Nor by the scattering winds, nor iron,
ولكنbut rather بالوجوهby the faces البيضthe white ones مثلlike الthe
ولكن بالوجوه البيض مثل ال
أهلةcrescents تحتbeneath أغصانbranches القدودthe slender figures
أهلة تحت أغصان القدود
But by white faces, like the
But by the white faces like the
Crescents beneath the branches of slender figures;
Crescent moon beneath the branches of acacia,
وشربand drinking الريone's fill منfrom خمرwine الثناياthe front teeth
وشرب الري من خمر الثنايا
وشمand smelling المسكthe musk منfrom وردroses الخدودthe cheeks
وشم المسك من ورد الخدود
And by drinking one's fill of the wine of front teeth,
And drinking water mixed with the wine of cheeks,
And smelling musk from the roses of cheeks;
And smelling musk from the roses of cheeks,
وتطفيتيand my quenching حرارburning heat الوجهthe face يومday الthe
وتطفيتي حرار الوجه يوم ال
فراقparting بمصby sucking رمانpomegranates النهودthe breasts
فراق بمص رمان النهود
And my quenching the face's burning heat on the day of
And my extinguishing of the heat of the face on the
Parting, by sucking the pomegranates of breasts;
day of parting with sucking pomegranate buds,
وبالخمرand by the wine التيthat كانتwas لعادٍfor ʿAd
وبالخمر التي كانت لعادٍ
ولكنand yet بعدafter محنتهمtheir ordeal بهودwith Hud
ولكن بعد محنتهم بهود
And by the wine that was for ʿAd,
And by the wine which was for ‘Ād,
But after their ordeal with Hud:
But after their ordeal with Hood,
مدامٌwine فيin قديمancient الدهرtime كانتwas
مدامٌ في قديم الدهر كانت
تعدprepared لكلfor every جبارٍtyrant عنيدobstinate
تعد لكل جبارٍ عنيد
Wine that, in ages long past, was
It was a drink in the ancient time which was
Prepared for every obstinate tyrant;
prepared for every stubborn tyrant,
مدامٌwine ليسthere is no ليfor me فيهاin it إمامٌimam
مدامٌ ليس لي فيها إمامٌ
أصليI pray خلفهbehind him غيرother than الوليدal-Walid
أصلي خلفه غير الوليد
Wine in which I have no imam
A drink in which I have no leader to pray behind except al-Walīd.
Behind whom I pray except al-Walid.
Partial English translation: 13 of 14 Arabic lines translated.